U.S. patent application number 09/953897 was filed with the patent office on 2002-11-21 for system, computer product and method for interfacing with a private communication portal from a wireless device.
Invention is credited to Cheung, Andrew, Meyer, Steven P., Nascimento, Pedro P..
Application Number | 20020174195 09/953897 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26959847 |
Filed Date | 2002-11-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020174195 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Meyer, Steven P. ; et
al. |
November 21, 2002 |
System, computer product and method for interfacing with a private
communication portal from a wireless device
Abstract
A system for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless
device comprising a first computer comprising a communication
facility adapted to communicate information to remote computers and
the wireless device; a second computer comprising a locating
facility for locating the first computer; and a wireless device
comprising a microprocessor and a mobile communication facility;
wherein the first computer, the second computer and the wireless
device are connected to the Internet; wherein the locating facility
is adapted to facilitate communication between the first computer
and the wireless device; and wherein the first computer and the
wireless device are adapted to permit a user of the wireless device
to access information at the first computer from the wireless
device.
Inventors: |
Meyer, Steven P.; (Richmond
Hill, CA) ; Nascimento, Pedro P.; (Mississauga,
CA) ; Cheung, Andrew; (Toronto, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EUGENE J. A. GIERZAK
C/O KEYSER MASON BALL, LLP
201 CITY CENTRE DRIVE
SUITE 701
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO
L5B 2T4
CA
|
Family ID: |
26959847 |
Appl. No.: |
09/953897 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60279714 |
Mar 30, 2001 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/219 ;
709/203 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/52 20220501;
H04L 67/51 20220501; H04W 4/00 20130101; H04W 88/04 20130101; H04L
69/329 20130101; H04W 64/00 20130101; H04L 9/40 20220501 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/219 ;
709/203 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
Claims
We claim:
1) A system for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless
device comprising: a) a first computer comprising a communication
facility adapted to communicate information to remote computers and
the wireless device; b) a second computer comprising a locating
facility for locating the first computer; and c) a wireless device
comprising a microprocessor and a mobile communication facility;
wherein the first computer, the second computer and the wireless
device are connected to the Internet; wherein the locating facility
is adapted to facilitate communication between the first computer
and the wireless device; and wherein the first computer and the
wireless device are adapted to permit a user of the wireless device
to access information at the first computer from the wireless
device.
2) A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile communication
facility is adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to
send commands to the first computer.
3) A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless device
further comprises a display facility for displaying information
communicated to the wireless device by the first computer.
4) A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the information
communicated by the first computer comprises event
notifications.
5) A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mobile communication
facility comprises a command operation facility adapted to permit
the user of the wireless device to act on the event notifications
by sending commands to the first computer.
6) A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the commands sent by the
wireless device to the first computer comprise commands for
selecting information available at the first computer and commands
to the first computer to procure information accessible at the
first computer, and to communicate such information to the wireless
device.
7) A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the communication
facility is adapted to interface with a plurality of information
generating facilities, wherein the information generating
facilities are adapted to generate information, and the
communication facility is adapted to communicate the information to
the wireless device.
8) A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the information
generating facilities comprise messaging facilities, monitoring
facilities and database facilities.
9) A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first computer
further comprises a unified messaging and monitoring facility that
is adapted in response to predetermined settings to initiate the
communication facility to communicate information to the wireless
device upon the occurrence of specific events.
10) A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the unified messaging
and monitoring facility is adapted to create event notifications
and communicate the event notifications in a form comprehensible
from the wireless device.
11) A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the unified messaging
and monitoring facility is adapted to process requests communicated
by the wireless device, and act on the requests so as to
communicate information requested from the wireless device.
12) A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first computer
further comprises an information management facility operably
associated with a database and the unified messaging and monitoring
facility, wherein the information management facility is adapted to
retrieve information from the database in response to a request
processed by the unified messaging and monitoring facility.
13) A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the unified messaging
and monitoring facility is adapted to communicate information
retrieved by the information management facility to the wireless
device in response to a request communicated by the wireless device
to the first computer, in a form comprehensible from the wireless
device.
14) A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information
communicated to the wireless device in response to the requests
comprises messages, contact information, data files and video
images.
15) A system as claimed in claim 5 or 14 wherein the event
notifications are adapted to permit the user of the wireless device
to act on the event notification by means of the command operation
facility so as locate the second computer and thereby the location
facility, and send a request to communicate with the first
computer.
16) A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wireless device
provides means for the user of the wireless device acting on the
event notification by converting the event notification into a
request.
17) A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the locating facility
comprises a directory service program.
18) A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the directory service
program comprises a dynamic directory and the contents thereof, and
the dynamic directory is adapted for dynamic modification of the
contents.
19) A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the wireless device is
adapted to run a browser application, and the mobile communication
facility is adapted to support an interface to point the browser
application to the second computer.
20) A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile
communication facility is adapted to convert an event notification
into a Universal Resource Locator.
21) A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first computer
comprises a web server, and wherein the web server is adapted to
process requests received from the wireless device and provide such
requests to the unified messaging and monitoring facility for
processing.
22) A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mobile
communication facility comprises a smart client application
comprising a notification display facility for displaying the event
notifications received by the wireless device, a data display
facility for displaying data received by the wireless device from
the second computer and first computer, and a command operation
facility adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act
on event notifications or data received by the wireless device from
the second computer and first computer.
23) A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the mobile
communication facility is adapted to access information from the
first computer via the unified messaging and monitoring
facility.
24) A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mobile
communication facility further comprises a preferences management
facility for managing the preferences of the user of the wireless
device in regard to provisioning and operation from the wireless
device.
25) A system as claimed in claims 21 or 24, wherein the first
computer is adapted to obtain login data from the user of the
wireless devices and/or the wireless device so as to authorize the
user of the wireless devices and/or the wireless device for
communication of information from the first computer.
26) A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the information sent,
received and processed by the communication facility of the first
computer comprise e-mail, facsimiles, electronic voice mails,
images, video data, executable program code, audio data, formatted
data or raw binary data.
27) A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the directory service
program is provided using the DNS protocol.
28) A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the communication
facility comprises a Message Transfer Agent connected to a wireless
network via a wireless gateway.
29) A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the event notification
comprises a structured notification comprising a plurality of
fields characterized by: a) a first message identifier identifying
the beginning of a message; b) an event reference identifying the
nature of the event precipitating the event notification; c) a
login name identifying the user of the wireless device; d) a
computer name identifying the first computer; e) a locator name
identifying the location of the second computer; and f) a second
message identifier identifying the end of the message, wherein the
plurality of fields are adapted to be comprehensible: to the
wireless device to communicate information to the wireless device;
to the second computer to locate the first computer and redirect
the wireless device to the first computer; and to the first
computer to access information requested by the user.
30) A computer product for providing provisioning and operation at
a wireless device having a microprocessor, said computer product
being associated with the wireless device, the wireless device
being connected to a first computer and a second computer via the
Internet through a wireless interface, said second computer
comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer on
the Internet, the computer product comprising: a) a communication
interface adapted to provide communication to the Internet through
the wireless interface; and b) a mobile communication facility
operably connected to the communication interface and adapted to:
i) communicate with the second computer to determine the location
of the first computer; and ii) permit a user of the wireless device
to access information at the first computer from the wireless
device.
31) A computer product as claimed in claim 30, wherein the computer
product further comprises a display facility for displaying
information communicated to the wireless device by the first
computer.
32) A computer product as claimed in c!aim 31, wherein the
information communicated by the first computer comprises event
notifications.
33) A computer product as claimed in claim 32, wherein the mobile
communication facility comprises a command operation facility
adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on the
event notifications by sending commands to the first computer.
34) A computer product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the mobile
communication facility provides means for converting the event
notifications into a request, wherein the request is adapted to
initiate a response from the first computer upon communication of
the request to the first computer.
35) A computer product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the computer
product comprises a browser application, and the mobile
communication facility is adapted to support an interface to point
the browser application to the second computer.
36) A computer product as claimed in claim 34, wherein the mobile
communication facility comprises a smart client application
comprising a notification display facility for displaying the event
notifications received by the wireless device, a data display
facility for displaying data received by the wireless device from
the second computer and first computer, and a command operation
facility adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act
on event notifications or data received by the wireless device from
the second computer and first computer.
37) A server computer product for providing provisioning and
operation at a wireless device in association with a remote
computer, the wireless device having a microprocessor, the server
computer product being associated with a server computer connected
to the Internet and being adapted to communicate with the wireless
device, the server computer product comprising: a) a locating
facility adapted in response to a request received from the
wireless device to locate the remote computer and communicate the
request to the wireless device.
38) A server computer product as claimed in claim 37, wherein the
location facility comprises a directory service program.
39) A server computer product as claimed in claim 38, wherein the
directory service program comprises a dynamic directory and the
contents thereof, and the dynamic directory is adapted for dynamic
modification of the contents.
40) A computer product for providing provisioning and operation at
a wireless device having a microprocessor, said computer product
being associated with a computer remote from the wireless device,
said remote computer being connected to a second computer via the
Internet and being adapted to communicate with the wireless device,
the computer product comprising a communication facility, the
communication facility being adapted to: a) communicate with the
wireless device and the second computer; b) interface with a
plurality of information generating facilities, wherein the
information generating facilities define a plurality of events; c)
provide event notifications based on said plurality of events; d)
communicate the event notifications to the wireless device; e)
process requests communicated by the wireless device based on the
event notifications; and f) act on the requests by communicating
information to the wireless device specified in the requests.
41) A method of providing provisioning and operation at a wireless
device: a) providing a first computer comprising a communication
facility adapted to send, receive and process information; b)
connecting the first computer with the Internet; c) providing a
second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the
first computer wherein the second computer is connected to the
Internet; and d) providing a mobile communication facility to the
wireless device, the mobile communication being adapted to locate
the second computer, and by means of the locating facility, access
the first computer so as to obtain information from the first
computer.
42) A method of providing provisioning at a wireless device, the
wireless device being connected to a first computer and a second
computer via the Internet through a wireless interface, said second
computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first
computer on the Internet, the method of providing provisioning at
the wireless device comprising the steps of: a) accessing the
locating facility; b) providing the name of the first computer to
the locating facility; c) in response to (b), the locating facility
redirecting the wireless device to the first computer; d) a user of
the wireless device providing login information to the first
computer; e) the user selecting the wireless service to be
provisioned; and f) the user selecting the events for which
notifications are required.
43) A method of providing provisioning at a wireless device as
claimed in claim 42, the method comprising the further step of the
user entering the notification address of the wireless device.
44) A method of providing operation at the wireless device
provisioned in accordance with the method disclosed in claim 42,
comprising the following steps: a) the first computer detecting an
event for which notification is requested by the wireless device;
b) the first computer communicating an event notification to the
wireless device provisioned for the event; c) the wireless device
receiving the event notification; d) the user of the wireless
device acting on the event notification using a command operation
facility at the wireless device adapted to convert event
notifications into requests; and e) the user of the wireless device
accessing the locating facility and the locating facility
redirecting the wireless device to the first computer; f) the user
of the wireless device providing login information to the first
computer; g) the user of the wireless device accessing information
associated with the event; and h) the user of the wireless device
interacting with the first computer to act on the event.
45) An information push/pull architecture comprising the system
described in claim 1.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates in general to a system, computer
product and method for accessing functions of a private
communication portal utilizing a wireless device. This invention
further relates to a system, computer product and method for
processing instructions provided by a wireless device in operation
of a server computer such as a private communication portal. This
invention also relates to a method for implementing a private
communication portal that permits for remote accessing thereof from
a wireless device, and processing instructions at such private
communication portal from the wireless device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Individuals and businesses today communicate through a
variety of messages including electronic mail (including e-mails
with video or voice attachments or "instant messages" such as
AOL.TM. instant messages), pager messages, facsimile (fax) and
electronic voice mail, document transfer, file transfer and
structured data transfer.
[0003] In many cases, a multi-user server located in a remote
location and accessed electronically over a network manages such
communication. Such servers not only control access to personal
data belonging to a plurality of users, but they also act as
repositories for such personal data, either temporarily or over a
significant period. Consequently, issues of security, scalability,
dependability and concurrent access to data are significant.
[0004] Single-user programs for managing such variety of messages
are known, but such known programs do not provide full remote
access via the Internet to management of messages, documents, data
files and contact information. The use of the Internet is desirable
for numerous reasons, including the common use of the Internet
Protocol as a communication standard, the general availability of
electronic devices that are Internet-enabled and the cost savings
of using the Internet. Full Internet access is desirable because
message, document, data and contact management users may want to
access their message and contact management system from a plurality
of locations and/or plurality of communication devices (e.g. lap
top, cellular phone or hand held computer etc.). Full remote access
permits the receipt of messages at any location on any type of
communication device, with remote access to functions of the
message management system such as address books, security settings,
rules (e.g. automated response), text-to-speech functionality
etc.
[0005] It is desirable to provide a-system, computer product and
method that does not require the use of a multi-user server. In
other words, it is desirably to provide the "unified" capability of
managing the variety of information described where there is no
3.sup.rd party service provider who acts as an intermediary between
the user and entities with whom the user communicates. This results
in a reduction in service fees charged by such 3.sup.rd party
service provider. It is further desirable to provide such a system,
computer product and method that is flexible, permits remote access
to personal data, and provides security of such personal data.
[0006] Such a private communication portal is disclosed in
co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/595,533 assigned to 01
Communique Laboratory Inc. ("Co-Pending Application").
[0007] In this disclosure, by "private" what is meant is that the
communication portal is dedicated to a user rather than multiple
users as is the case with 3.sup.rd party intermediary systems
described above. It should also be understood from the outset that
in referring to "private communication portal", the word
"communication" is used in accordance with its broad technical
definition. In particular, "communication" for the purpose of this
document means exchange or accessing of any information, including
information formats, using predefined protocols understood by
communicating entities. It should be understood that for
"communication" to occur, there is no requirement for a human user.
"Communication" can in this way be contrasted from "messaging"
which is generally understood to relate to communication between
more than one human user.
[0008] Also, by "portal" what is generally understood is a means
for facilitating communication from point A to B. More than one
interconnected computer or process may co-operate to provide a
single "portal". For example, a first computer or process
comprising the "portal" may provide means for locating B at least
once. Thereafter, communication between A and B may be facilitated
through a second computer or process independent of the first
computer or process.
[0009] In operation, the present invention provides a private
communication portal for remotely managing and accessing messages,
as described herein. However, it should be understood that messages
are only one form of data that can be communicated or accessed in
co-operation with the present invention. The invention provides
means for operating a private server as a communication server for
a variety of purposes, including video monitoring. For example, the
private communication portal described herein provides means for
accessing and managing such data remotely, such as forwarding
images detecting movement to an observation station.
[0010] One problem of providing such a private communication portal
system, computer product and method is integrating same with
wireless devices. At the date of this patent application there were
a number of different wireless devices. First, there are
WAP-enabled cell phones. These devices have a small text display
and allow the user to set up a connection session to the Internet.
Connection speed on existing wireless networks is relatively slow
(approximately 9600 bps) and generally only a limited amount of
content can be viewed at a time. Furthermore, WAP-enabled cell
phones generally have numeric keypads only and therefore data entry
is laborious. Second, there are 2-way pager devices. These devices
of a second type generally establish "session-less" connections to
the Internet, i.e. they send and receive messages without the
overhead of logging in, establishing credentials, etc. Examples of
such 2-way paging devices include Glenayre's @ctivelink.TM. and
RIM's Blackberry.TM. pagers. A third type of wireless device is
known as a Wireless Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or wireless
terminal. These devices provide a small screen and permit inputting
of text. Some wireless terminals include an ASCII keyboard. The
wireless terminal operates similarly to the WAP-enabled cell phone,
except the wireless terminal can generally support a richer user
experience, e.g. colour screens and audio output and generally have
more processing capability than WAP-enabled cell phones.
[0011] The WAP-enabled cell phones, paging and 2-way paging devices
and wireless terminals referenced above are collectively referred
to as "Wireless Devices" in this disclosure.
[0012] The above referenced Wireless Devices are commonly
associated with a known wireless network. Communication with such
Wireless Devices occurs via such wireless networks. Therefore,
where appropriate the use of the term "Wireless Devices" in the
sense of for example sending a message to a "Wireless Device"
implies the use of the related wireless network.
[0013] The private communication portal referred to herein permits
connection with such Wireless Devices and their related networks.
For example, when a message is received by the private
communication portal, a notification can be sent to the Wireless
Devices, in a manner that is known. For example, this notification
can include information regarding the identity of a caller who has
left a voicemail at the private communication portal. It is
desirable to be able to elicit a response from the private
communication portal using a Wireless Device. For example, where a
user is notified by means of a Wireless Device that "VOICEMAIL
RECEIVED FROM X", it is desirable that user be able to engage a
"OBTAIN VOICEMAIL" function at such Wireless Device. In response to
such function, it is further desirable that the wireless network be
able to deliver a message to the private communication portal
requesting that the private communication portal call the telephone
number phone of the user and provide in such telephone call the
content of the voice mail. Likewise, for a "FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM
Y", it is desirable that the user may engage the "FORWARD FAX"
function at such Wireless Device to request that the private
communication portal call the facsimile number specified by the
user and deliver the message to the facsimile device at that
number.
[0014] Prior art solutions have been conceived for delivering the
functionality described to Wireless Devices.
[0015] For example WinFax Pro 7.0.TM. of Delrina provided
notification to pager functionality as early as November, 1995.
This prior art product comprises a "RECEIVE RULES" function that
permits forwarding of messages and/or notification to a pager
device depending on certain conditions being satisfied, e.g.
message arriving from a particular sender. Notification to the
pager device is provided by this device by dialing up the paging
service using a telephone network.
[0016] Another example of a prior art solution is FaxWorks.TM. by
Global Village Communications from 1994. This computer product
provided capability for forwarding fax messages and for sending
receipt notifications to a pager device. This particular prior art
computer product also performed notification upon receipt of a
voice message or a fax message.
[0017] Another prior art solution is the Communicate!.TM. product
of 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. which permits notifications to be
sent to an alphanumeric pager. When a message arrives (in this case
a voice message, fax or e-mail), this prior art computer product
contacts a paging service and sends a short notification message to
the specific pager informing the user that a message has been
received. More specifically, when a message arrives (in this case a
message is one of: voice message, fax or an e-mail) the application
will contact a paging service and send a short notification message
to the specific pager informing the user that a message has been
received. In line with the technology of the day, this application
used the dialup telephone network to contact the paging service.
This prior art product also provides forwarding to an e-mail
account by accessing the user's e-mail accounts and downloading
incoming e-mail messages. It then forwards the e-mail to another
account. Note that e-mail send and receive is achieved by dialing
up to the Internet and connecting to the e-mail server(s).
[0018] Octal Unified Messaging (Lucent Technologies) is a large
centralized server-based system that supports some of the message
format translations, such as converting text e-mail to speech and
text e-mail to fax. This system also supports pager notification of
new messages.
[0019] Motivus.TM. from Veratium is a prior art server based
product that allows users of mobile devices, such as RIM
Blackberry.TM. pagers and Internet-connected Palm.TM. organizers to
access messages and files stored in a Microsoft Exchange server. It
also provides support for the Exchange calendaring feature.
[0020] A still other prior art solutions that addresses similar
subject matter to the present invention are EudoraMail.TM. and
EudoraWeb.TM. from Eudora. These applications are designed for the
Palm.TM. handheld operating system. EudoraMail works in conjunction
with a desktop component to synchronize data. Synchronization
allows users to read, send, and delete messages from your desktop
computer from your Palm device. Filters allow users to transfer a
fixed number of messages or the most current messages to Eudora on
your Palm device. Synchronization truncates messages above a
certain size. Synchronization downloads messages on request. This
priort art solution supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS
(Transport Layer Security) for authentication of users' mail
servers, and encrypted communication with those servers for data
privacy. Users of this prior art solutions can launch EudoraWeb.TM.
by tapping on URLs on a Palm.TM. device. EudoraWeb.TM. is a mini
HTML browser tailored to the Palm.TM. environment. EudoraWeb.TM.
supports a subset of HTML 3.2 features.
[0021] The prior art solutions discussed disclose means for
notifying the user of a Wireless Device that a certain event has
occurred at another location, such as the receipt of an email.
However, they do not provide means for acting on such
notification.
[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,668 issued to Silverman relates to a web
messaging system that allows a subscriber to receive messages from
a wide variety of multimedia sources. If a caller attempts to
contact a subscriber but the subscriber is unavailable, the system
will record the message in digital format, generate a web page and
password, and send a web page identification and password to the
subscriber via a paging medium. The subscriber can then access the
web page, enter the password, and retrieve the message.
[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,969 issued to Goldman et al. discloses a
communication system for remotely re-selecting and re-transmitting
received electronic mail at a destination terminal to another
destination terminal using a remote communication device, e.g., a
two-way pager. The system includes an electronic mail server
coupled to an electronic mail network, a backbone and an alert
network. The electronic mail server receives electronic mail
messages from the electronic mail network or from the backbone
network. Each received mail message includes a sender
identification, an email identification and a destination terminal.
The server generates and transmits over the alert network a select
signal and a message summary to the communication device when an
email has been received from a destination terminal. A
communication device stores the message summaries and displays them
as a user scrolls the message summaries. The user through a
keyboard in the device may select and revise a message summary by
entering a new destination in the message summary. Using a send
key, the user transmits the revised message summary to the server
coupled to the destination terminal. The server in response to the
transmitted revised message summary accesses a database to locate a
copy of the received message or contacts and instructs the
destination terminal to forward a copy of the received message to
the new destination terminal via the server or an alternate
server.
[0024] U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,837 issued to Foladore et. Al. provides
for an intelligent pager that remotely manages an email server that
receives email messages transmitted over an email network. Useful
email messages can be identified by the pager and separated from
the junk mail. The pager remotely controls the server to forward
messages as directed by the recipient. The email server sends a
summary of the email message to the pager over a different network
so that the pager can select a forwarding destination for the
message. The pager sends a selection signal to the email server
which then forwards the email message to the selected destination.
The email message can be forwarded by the server over another
network, such as the public telephone network, to a computer or a
FAX machine at the recipient's office, home or other
destination.
[0025] The prior art solutions discussed support e-mail and
browsing capabilities, but do not provide message or event
notification and remote access of messages or events with a private
communication portal from Wireless Device. The prior art solutions
also do not provide a system, computer product and method for
acting on message or event notifications at a Wireless Device that
is flexible. In regard to this last disadvantage, there is a need
for system, computer product and method that permits acting on
message and event notifications from a Wireless Device
notwithstanding changes to the source of the message or event
notification.
[0026] Another disadvantage of such prior art solutions is the time
delay between receipt of a message at a first computer and receipt
of a notification at a Wireless Device. For example, with respect
to a Wireless Device that is a pager associated with a pager
network, the pager network generally comprises a pager instruction
transfer means, such as a mail server, or more particularly, an
SMTP server for communicating messages related to the operation of
the paging networks, in a manner that is known. In the particular
example cited above, the request to the private communication
portal is generally communicated to the SMTP server, which in turn
is communicated to the private communication portal by means of the
Location Facility disclosed in the Co-Pending Application.
[0027] The private communication portal is generally connected to
the Internet in a manner that messages received (by way of example)
by the private communication portal are not provided immediately,
but rather subject to a time delay, as is well known. In
particular, in most known implementations of the private
communication portal, such messages are collected, for example, by
the Internet Service Provider's server computer by polling such
server computer from time to time. This time delay is in some cases
a consequence of technical limitations of such Internet access, or
in other cases, a consequence of system resource saving
procedures.
[0028] In providing the remote response using a pager network as
described above, the time delay referred to can cause relatively
significant inconvenience. For example, in the specific example
provided, if a user of the pager device and private communication
portal requires delivery of a voice mail immediately, relatively
significant wait for such delivery may cause inconvenience.
[0029] Therefore there is a need for a private communication
portal, and method of implementing the same, that minimizes the
impact of such time delay. There is a further need for a private
communication portal that delivers notifications of events to a
Wireless Device, and supports action on such notifications. There
is a further need for system, computer product and method for
introducing services accessible from a Wireless Device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0030] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
invention, a system, computer product and method is provided for
delivering event notifications from a private communication portal
to a Wireless Device, and accessing data at the private
communication portal from the Wireless Device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] A detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s)
is(are) provided herein below by way of example only and with
reference to the following drawings, in which:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a system resource flowchart, in accordance with a
first preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating
the connection of the system to a wireless network that supports a
mobile browser.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a program resource diagram illustrating the
resources of the location computer product of the present invention
residing on a public server connected to the Internet.
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates the functions of the Personal Server of
the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 4 further illustrates the functions of the Personal
Server of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates the functions of the Mobile
Communications Facility of the present invention for a network that
supports a mobile browser.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a system resource flowchart, in accordance with a
second preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating
the connection of the system to a wireless network that does not
support a mobile browser but does support a message transfer
protocol.
[0038] FIG. 7 is a program resource diagram illustrating the
resources of the location computer product of the second preferred
embodiment of the present invention residing on a public server
connected to the Internet to support a message transfer
protocol.
[0039] FIG. 8 illustrates the functions of the Personal Server to
support a message transfer protocol, in a second preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 9 illustrates the functions of the Mobile
Communications Facility of the present invention for a network that
supports a message transfer protocol, in a second preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are
illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood
that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of
illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended
as a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated in a system
resource flowchart illustrating the system resources of the first
preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated herein.
In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates the resources that comprise the
private communication portal or "PCP" 10 of the present invention.
PCP 10 comprises a multiple computer architecture further
comprising a Server Computer 12, Private Server 14 and Wireless
Device or Mobile Client Device 30. It should be understood that
Private Server 14 may comprise a network station, personal computer
terminal or server, embedded computer, set-top box or network
gateway, provided that such Private Server 14 is devoted to a
private user who may be a business or individual. The Private
Server 14 also comprises a message and data management server 15,
as best illustrated in FIG. 1 and a network name that identifies
the particular private server, as is well known.
[0043] It is desirable to provide Private Server 14 with a
permanent Internet connection 13 provided, for example, by a
coaxial cable connection or high speed xDSL telephone connection or
the like, also shown in FIG. 1.
[0044] Server Computer 12 is connected with unrestricted access to
an interconnected network of computers such as the Internet 16.
Server Computer 12 may comprise one or more computers, as is well
known.
[0045] Private Server 14 is provided with a computer product of the
present invention dedicated to Private Server 14. In a first
preferred embodiment of the present invention, best illustrated in
FIG. 1, this computer product provides a communication facility 3
and means for communication 5 of the location of Private Server 14
on a computer network such as the Internet to Server Computer 12,
as further described below. The communication facility 3 can be
provided with interfaces with a number of facilities 17 that
generate data, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art,
such as messaging facilities, monitoring facilities (security,
environmental etc.), database facilities and the like. As is
explained below, the computer product of the present invention
presents means for remotely accessing the data.
[0046] In another aspect of the first preferred embodiment of the
present invention, a computer product is provided, as illustrated
in FIG. 2, at the Server Computer 12 that communicates with the
computer product dedicated to Private Server 14. The server
computer product, illustrated in FIG. 1, provides a Registration
and Location Facility 6 or means responsive to the means for
communication 5 of the location of Private Server 14 for providing
remote access to the Private Server 14, as explained below.
[0047] It should be understood that the first preferred embodiment
of the present invention comprises a system, computer product and
method for providing data exchange between a private communication
portal to a Wireless Device, wherein the Wireless Device is a "Thin
Client", namely a Wireless Device that supports a browser.
[0048] In contrast, the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention comprises a system, computer product and method for
providing data exchange between a private communication portal and
a Wireless Device, wherein the Wireless Device is a "Smart Client"
that is connected to a Message Transfer Agent, as explained below.
The "Smart Client" implementation is used in relation to wireless
networks that use proprietary communication protocols as is the
case with 2-way pager networks, for example, or Wireless Devices
that do not support a browser. In either case a Message Transfer
Agent (as described below) is used to obtain the information
required from Private Server 14, and the computer product provided
to the Wireless Device in accordance with this invention provides
known browser-type functionality at the Wireless Device by means of
a computer product described below.
[0049] The Message Transfer Agent 100 may comprise by way of
example only, a known SMTP server. Message Transfer Agent 100 is
adapted to process instructions received from the Mobile Client
Device 30. This particular implementation of the computer product
of the present invention also uses the Message Transfer Agent 100
to send messages and data to the Mobile Client Device 30 for
display to the user. In the second preferred embodiment of the
present invention, Message Transfer Agent 100 is dedicated to the
functions of communication of messages, data and instructions
between the Private Server 14 and Mobile Client Device 30 in a
"Smart Client" type network such as, for example, a 2-way pager
network.
[0050] Private Messaging and Information Management Facility
[0051] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the communication facility 3 of
Private Server 14 further comprises a communication interface 7 and
communication software program 9 or Private Messaging and
Information Management Facility which are operably associated. The
Private Messaging and Information Management Facility 9 comprises
two principal elements, namely a Unified Messaging and Monitoring
Facility 20 and Information Management Facility 22.
[0052] The principal functions of Information Management Facility
22 are: entering and retrieving database information, such as
names, addresses, company information, personal information,
contact history and the like; retrieving and displaying
documents.
[0053] As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the principal functions of
Unified Messaging and Monitoring Facility 20 are to receive and
process messages of all types and content, including e-mail,
facsimiles, electronic voice mail, images, video data, executable
program code, audio data, formatted data or raw binary data.
Unified Messaging and Monitoring Facility 20 is operably associated
with communication interface 7.
[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 4, Unified Messaging and Monitoring
Facility 20 further comprises E-Mail Message Retrieval Facility 23,
Voice Message Facility 25 and Fax Messaging Facility 27,
illustrated in FIG. 4 and particularized in the Co-Pending
Application.
[0055] In the present invention, Unified Messaging and Monitoring
Facility 20 further comprises Notification Facility 33. This
facility is only initiated when a message is received (page, e-mail
or short message, depending on the nature of the wireless network)
from a valid message originator or a defined event (such as an
alarm or occurrence of specific event detected by a video monitor)
occurs at Private Server 14, in the manner described below in
greater detail. In particular, the Private Server 14 is configured
in a manner that is well known, for example by user input with
respect to settings, so that particular events or messages are
recognized by Private Server 14 for notification in accordance with
this invention.
[0056] It should be understood that Unified Messaging and
Monitoring Facility 20 also comprises for rendering information
obtained from any one of the facilities that interface with the
Unified Messaging and Monitoring Facility, including the
Information Management Facility, in a format that is comprehensible
from the Mobile Client Device 30.
[0057] In particular, Private Server 14 sends an event notification
or Structured Notification (not shown) to Mobile Client Device 30
in response to the receipt of a particular message or occurrence of
a particular event at Private Server 14, in a manner that is known.
The significance of the Structured Notification is such that it
informs the user of Mobile Client Device 30 not only of the
particular message or event at Private Server 14, but that the
Structured Notification also contains references that can be used
in actions resulting from this notification.
[0058] In a particular implementation of the preferred embodiments
of the present invention, Structured Notification comprises an
e-mail link with the following fields:
1 <message identifier> Identifies the start of the message.
<event reference> Used to access the particular event
handling page provided by Wireless Application 311 and Command
Operation Facility 307 (see below) <login name> Used to allow
access to the Private Server 14. <computer name> Used by
Server Computer 12 to locate Private Server 14, as explained below.
<locator name> This is used to tell the wireless browser or
smart client which location facility to use. This can take the form
of an URL, such as www.locator.01com.com or an IP address or a
predefined name such as "default" <message identifier>
Identifies the end of the message.
[0059] For example, a representative Structured Notification
is:
[0060]
@IIT$1132458.727/smeyer/smcomputer/locator.01com.com@IIT$.
[0061] It should be understood that the Structured Notification in
operation of the present invention provides enough information
permitting Mobile Client Device 30, in either of the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, to locate the Personal Server
14 on the Internet, as described below. The only user input
generally required from the user of Mobile Client Device 30 in this
particular implementation of the preferred embodiment of this
invention, is the user's login password.
[0062] The purpose of the Structured Notification is to permit the
Wireless Device 30 to act on the Structured Notification by means
of the Command Operation Facility 307 to locate the Server Computer
12, and thereby the Location Facility 6, and send a request to
communicate with Private Server 14. The Location Facility 6, in
response to such request, locates the Personal Server 14 (as
further explained below) and sends a message to Personal Server 14.
Personal Server 14 will generally request a password from the User
of Wireless Device 30, upon acceptance of which a communication
session is created between Wireless Device 30 and Personal Server
14 in a manner that is well known.
[0063] Specifically in accordance with the first preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the Structured Notification is
converted into an URL that permits the Wireless Browser 312 in the
Thin Client implementation to access the Server Computer 12. The
URL may also contain a message for Web Server 311 of Personal
Server 14 that is passed on to Personal Server 14 in a manner that
is known. Web Server 311 will generally require the User of the
Wireless Device 30 to login through known authentication functions
provided at Personal Server 14. Thereafter, Web Server 311 permits
the User from the Wireless Device to interact with the Personal
Server 14 by accessing the functions and facilities further
described below.
[0064] It should also be understood that variations of the
Structured Notification are contemplated by the present invention.
For example, in a particular implementation of the Structured
Notification in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the "<event reference>" field is
replaced by a "<specific web page>" field or equivalent that
provides access to a specific web page on the Web Server 311 of the
Personal Server 14.
[0065] In addition, the Unified Messaging and Monitoring Facility
20 and Information Management Facility 22, in co-operation with the
system of the present invention, also provide the Remote Message
Management Facility 29, as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The
particular functions of the Remote Message Management Facility 29
are best illustrated in the Co-Pending Patent Application.
[0066] Internet Registration and Location
[0067] As stated above, the Server Computer 12 is configured, in a
manner that is well-known, to be connected to the network of
interconnected computers such as the Internet, and particularly in
a manner that accepts Internet requests and translates these
requests into a connection between the Server Computer 12 and
Private Server 14.
[0068] As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the Location Facility 6 of
the present invention further comprises a directory service program
28. In the particular embodiment illustrated herein, the directory
service program 28 is operably associated with Server Computer 12.
For the sake of clarity, the directory service program 28 can be
either resident on the Server Computer 12 or remote from the Server
Computer 12 but accessible therefrom, and comprises a dynamic
directory provided with capability for dynamically modifying the
directory content of the directory service program 28. It is
desirable that only users of the present invention be given access
to directory service program 28 for purposes of updating or
changing the directory information. Such access is provided in
association with registration facility 19 as is described
below.
[0069] In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention,
as illustrated in FIG. 7, directory service program 28 is provided
using a protocol such as Domain Name Server (DNS) 6.
[0070] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8, Private Messaging and
Information Management Facility 9 comprises a Registration Routine
21 for indicating that Private Server 14 is available to accept
messages from the Internet 16. It is desirable for such
Registration Routine 21 to be engaged periodically for a number of
reasons. First, it is desirable to verify that the Internet or
server connection of Private Server 14 is active. Second, when the
Private Server 14 is configured to provide the functions of this
invention, registration with the Server Computer 12 is obviously
required. Third, the Registration Routine 21 is required to be
engaged periodically to update the directory service program 28 to
address possible changes to Private Server's Internet Protocol
address. Fourth, from a system resource management point of view it
may be desirable to restrict access to the Server Computer 12 to
only active users, in which case users who according to pre-set
parameters are determined to be inactive would be automatically
de-registered after a period of time. Fifth, some users may wish to
change their access codes from time to time. Sixth, some users may
want to de-register temporarily with Server Computer 12 in order to
interrupt receipt of communications from Server Computer 12, for
example, during operation of a back-up routine at Private Computer
14. Seventh, Registration Routine 21 may be required to change
security settings provided at Server Computer 12, in a manner that
is well-known.
[0071] It should be understood that the present invention allows
the parameters of the operation of the Registration Routine 21 to
be set, in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art, by
either the user or the system operator of Server Computer 12, as
may be required.
[0072] The availability of Private Server 14 to either receive or
send communications such as notifications or data residing at
Private Server 14 is communicated by Registration Routine 21 by
registering a name string or digit string with the directory
service program 28 that must not conflict with any other similar
name in the dynamic directory associated with directory service
program 28. This communication includes the current Internet
Protocol address of Private Server 14 that as indicated above may
change from time to time. The Internet Protocol address of Server
Computer 12, however, is fixed and known to the system described
herein.
[0073] In the manner described above, the current Internet Protocol
address of Private Server 14 is provided from time to time and
dynamically stored in directory service program 28.
[0074] The System Computer 12 is provided in a manner that permits
Server Computer 12 to locate a Private Server 14 and provide the
location thereof to a Mobile Client Device 30 regardless of the
nature of the Mobile Client Device and associated network 102.
[0075] For example, in the second preferred embodiment of the
present invention where Mobile Client Device 30 is a "Smart
Client", and Mobile Client Device 30 requests to send data to
Private Server 14 via the associated wireless network 102, a
Message Transfer Agent is used as stated earlier. In particular,
the Message Transfer Agent 100 is associated with a wireless
network gateway (not shown) that moves messages between the
Internet and the wireless network. The Mobile Client Device 30
sends messages via the wireless network to the wireless network
gateway. The wireless network gateway will forward the messages to
the Message Transfer Agent 100 which will ask Server Computer 12 to
look up the address and return the Internet (IP) address of the
Private Server 14, in a manner that is well known.
[0076] The Domain Name Server 6 will return the Internet address of
the Personal Server 14. The wireless network will then transfer the
data as a message to the Private Messaging and Information
Management Facility 9.
[0077] Where the Server Computer 12 has network access to Private
Server 14 but Private Server 14 is not accessible from the Internet
16, and may have a network address that is only valid within a
network such as a Local Area Network, a Proxy Server (not shown) is
used to provide the connection between the Mobile Client Device 30
and Private Server 14, in a manner that is also well known.
[0078] When Private Server 14 requests to send data to the Mobile
Client Device 30 via the Internet and via the network 102, in the
second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Private
Messaging and Information Management Facility 9 will transfer the
data as a message to the Message Transfer Agent 100 associated with
the wireless network in a manner that is well known. The wireless
network will convey the message to the Mobile Client Device 30, for
example in the form of Structured Notification described above.
[0079] However, in the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, where Mobile Client Device 30 is a WAP-enabled cell
phone or Wireless browser, for example, notification may be sent
via the Internet using a message transfer protocol, and the
computer product of the present invention provided at the Mobile
Client Device 30 (best illustrated in FIG. 9) accepts commands and
issues responses via the Internet using the HTTP or HTTPS
protocols.
[0080] The above-described connections provide the means for
transferring three kinds of data. First, notification data about
messages and events received by the Private Server 14 and
notifications of documents and other information managed by the
Private Server 14. Second, instructions regarding operations that
need to be performed by the Private Server 14 relating to the
messages, events, documents and other information. Third, message
and document content and other information residing on the Private
Server 14 that is to be presented to the user of the Mobile Client
Device 30. As is well known to those skilled in the art, providing
the functions of the Private Messaging and Information Management
Facility 9 requires access to all three kinds of data.
[0081] Mobile Client
[0082] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 9, the Mobile Client Device 30
comprises a Mobile Communication Facility 301 that facilitates the
communications between the Mobile Client Device 30 and the Private
Server 14. Therefore another aspect to the present invention is a
computer product residing on Mobile Client Device 30 that provides
the features and resources discussed herein.
[0083] In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention,
as best illustrated in FIG. 5, Mobile Communication Facility 301
comprises a standard wireless browser 312 that runs on the Mobile
Client Device 30. Wireless browser 312 enables the user of Mobile
Client Device 30 to log in to compatible sites connected to the
Internet. In particular, Wireless Browser 312 is adapted to connect
to Server Computer 12 for the purpose of location of Private Server
14 as described above. Once the Private Server 14 is located as
explained above, the user of the Mobile Client Device 30 logs into
his/her account and accesses messages or other data on the Private
Server 14. Specifically, the computer product of the present
invention provided to Mobile Client Device 30 supports a
programmatic interface to point to a particular location, namely
the location of Server Computer 12.
[0084] In this particular aspect of this invention web protocol
(HTTP) is used, but secure web connections such as HHTPS can also
be used, depending on the network associated with the particular
Mobile Client Device 30. It should be understood that Private
Server 14 of the present invention sends the messages or other data
to Mobile Client Device, in accordance with settings provided, in a
form that is compatible with the capabilities of the Wireless
Browser 312. For example, if the Wireless Browser 312 only supports
a subset of HTML, a simpler rendering will be used by Information
Management Facility 22. Where the Mobile Client Device 30 is a
WAP-enabled cell phone, for example, the computer product
associated with Private Server 14 comprises a WML application. In
either case, the Message and Data Facility 303 provided at Mobile
Client Device 30 is adapted to send and receive messages between
the Mobile Client Device 30 and Personal Server 14.
[0085] Still in the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, best illustrated in FIG. 5, Structured Notifications are
received by Message and Data Facility 303. These Structured
Notifications are displayed in an interpretable format by means of
Notification Display Facility 306. Command Operation Facility 307
provides means for the User of the first preferred embodiment of
the present invention to create a request, in the manner described
above. Accordingly, the Mobile Communication Facility 301 permits
the User of the Wireless Device to act on such notifications by
means of Command Operation Facility 307.
[0086] In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention
as shown in FIG. 9, the Mobile Communication Facility 301 comprises
a Wireless Communication Interface 302 that performs the functions
related to the interfacing with the wireless network associated
with Mobile Client Device 30 in a manner that is well known.
[0087] In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention,
best illustrated in FIG. 9, the Mobile Communication Facility 301
comprises a Mobile Device Private Messaging and Information
Management Facility which in turn comprises a number of facilities.
Wireless Communication Interface 302 permits the Wireless Device 30
to interface with the wireless network 102. Preferences Management
Facility 304 which is an optional facility that is used to display,
set and update user preferences both for the Mobile Client Device
30 and for the remote Private Server 14.
[0088] In addition, the Mobile Device Private Message and
Information Management Facility 303 provides a number of important
functions. First, it comprises a Notification Display Facility 306
which receives notifications from the Private Server 14 of
messages, events, documents and other information residing on
Private Server 14 and displays such notifications to the user of
the Mobile Client Device 30 in a manner that is well known. Second,
Mobile Device Private Messaging and Information Management Facility
303 comprises Command Operation Facility 307 which provides means
whereby the user can issue commands to the Private Server 14 to
perform actions and operation on the data under the management of
the Private Server 14 and opening a document managed by the Private
Server 14. In the particular implementation of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, Command Operation Facility 307
comprises means to respond to a Structured Notification for example
by means of a single click or control selection inputted in Mobile
Client Device 30 using a suitable input means in a manner that is
known. This input is added to a corresponding Structured
Notification and converted into a request that is communicated to
Private Server 14, including for the purpose of eliciting a
particular response from Private Server 14, such as sending a
command or requesting further information from Private Server 14.
Mobile Communication Facility 301 also comprises a Data Display
Facility 305 for displaying data received from Private Server 14 in
accordance with the special requirements of the particular
implementation of the present invention. For example, where the
data delivered to the Wireless Device 30 comprises stock quotes,
Data Display Facility 305 provides means for displaying such data
in a scrolling format as is often preferred by Users interested in
such data.
[0089] It is important to understand that Mobile Device Private
Message and Information Management Facility 303 provides the
functionality to receive and act on data obtained from the Personal
Server 14 without the need for Server Computer 12 once the Personal
Server 14 has been located, and also that many of the functions
provided by the Web Server 311 in accordance with the first
preferred embodiment of the present invention are provided at the
Wireless Device 30 by the Mobile Communication Facility 301.
[0090] In this manner, it should be understood that the present
invention contemplates a "push-pull" capability wherein the
Structured Notification provides the means in the present invention
both to push information to the Mobile Client Device 30, as well as
permit the user of the Mobile Client Device 30 to pull information
from the Private Server 14 by converting the Structured
Notification into a request as detailed above. The "push" function
permits more efficient use of the Mobile Client Device 30 in that
reduced user input is required to obtain specified information, as
well as reduced bandwidth is utilized to obtain such information.
The "pull" mode, on the other hand, provides flexibility and
data-on-demand.
[0091] Third, Mobile Device Private Message and Information
Management Facility 303, further comprises Data Display Facility
305 which provides means for displaying data opened and received by
the Mobile Client Device 30 from the Private Server 14. This data
may include, but is not limited to, textual message information,
document information, graphical information and images.
[0092] Security
[0093] It is desirable to use a secure communication protocol
between the Client Device 30 and the Private Server 14. Message
payloads between the two entities should be encrypted using secure
encryption techniques in a manner that is well known. It should be
understood that the use of other means of providing secured
communication between electronic devices in association with the
system described herein are contemplated by the present
invention.
[0094] Full Internet Access
[0095] The system provided in this invention allows "full" Internet
access to the functions of the Private Messaging and Contact
Facility 9 in particular, by operation of the Remote Message
Management Facility 29 of the present invention and the Information
Management Facility 22, as described above.
[0096] This "full" Internet access to data associated with Private
Server 14, such as message is best understood by illustration of
examples in operation.
[0097] Example In Operation
[0098] The present invention is best understood in operation in
connection with a wireless network 102.
[0099] By means of Notification Facility 33, the present invention
provides means to notify a user having received new messages,
documents or other data over the Internet to the network associated
with Mobile Client Device 30, as described above.
[0100] The user accesses Wireless Browser 312 in a manner that is
known and connects to the Internet. The Wireless Browser 312 (in
the first preferred embodiment) automatically points to Server
Computer 12. Personal Server 14 is automatically located as
specified above. Personal Server 14 is logged on to (password may
be required as explained above). The computer product of the
present invention provided to Mobile Client Device 30 accesses the
details of the message or event that gave rise to the notification
and provides the user with options that are displayed and operable
via Web Browser 312 as determined by the settings provided to
Personal Server 14.
[0101] In the particular context of messages stored at Personal
Server 14, for example, the list of messages stored on Private
Server 14 in association with the computer product of the present
invention is accessed, and user may command Private Server 14 to
initiate a connection to receive messages from external message
stores (e.g. an Internet Service Provider managing a specific
e-mail account).
[0102] On command from the user by operation of the Command
Operation Facility 307 and Data Display Facility 305, the present
invention allows individual voice messages to be played, individual
e-mail messages to be displayed, e-mail and facsimile messages to
be forwarded to a fax machine and forwarded to an external e-mail
account. The present invention also allows the user to reply to a
message by means of text e-mail or as a generated voice message (by
using a text-to-speech facility) that is sent as an e-mail
attachment.
[0103] The present invention and in particular Mobile Device
Private Messaging Information Management Facility 303 also allows
the user to access the list of documents and files stored on the
Private Server 14 and to display the list to the user. The present
invention further allows the user to forward documents as e-mail or
facsimile messages or to open a document such that it may be viewed
on the Mobile Client Device 30 in co-operation with the Data
Display Facility 305.
[0104] The present invention also allows a user to access the list
of messages via a telephone call to Server Computer 12 by means of
suitable telephony hardware and to command Private Server 14 to
initiate a connection to receive messages from the external message
stores.
[0105] The computer product of the present invention may also
incorporate text-to-speech technology to provide the full Internet
access described herein to a user having a telephone line. This
text-to-speech can comprise a variety of commercially available
technologies, implemented in a manner that is well known.
[0106] It should be understood that messages stored on Private
Server 14 is merely representative of data stored on Private Server
14 that can be accessed using Mobile Client Device 30.
[0107] Operation of the present invention in accordance with the
second preferred embodiment disclosed herein occurs in much the
same way, with the exception that communications between the
Wireless Device and the Personal Server are processed by Message
Transfer Agent 100.
[0108] It should be understood that the present invention is not
only directed at a system, computer product and method for
delivering event notifications from a private communication portal
to a Wireless Device, and accessing data at the private
communication portal from the Wireless Device so as to obtain such
notifications or data regardless of the variable location of a
particular private communication portal, but also to obtain such
notifications or data from a number of different private
communication portals. This permits flexibility to a user of a
Mobile Client Device wherein such user can be set up to receive
notifications of events occurring at one or more private
communication portal, or in fact similar server computers with a
variable location on the Internet or a constant location on the
Internet, as the case may be. From the perspective of the operator
of such private communication portals or server computers, the
present invention provides flexibility in terms of the ability of
providing new service offerings at Mobile Client Devices with
relatively small startup costs or administrative requirements. In
either case, Server Computer 12 not only acts as the location
facility for determining the availability of other personal servers
and/or server computers but also facilitates the provisioning of a
number of such private communication portals and severs in
accordance with the method disclosed herein.
[0109] Other variations and modifications of the invention are
possible. In particular a number of computer program facilities are
described in this invention as separate facilities for the sake of
describing the invention. However, it should be understood that
such facilities can be combined with other facilities comprising
the present invention, or such facilities can be sub-divided into
separate facilities. It should also be understood that various
other features or functions can be added to the present invention
without departing from the scope of the present invention such as
additional means accessing and managing messages and contact
information remotely. In addition, it should be understood that the
private communication portal can be associated with any means for
generating useful data and managing such data where it is desirable
to provide remote access to such data in the manner specified
herein. For example, as suggested above, the triggering event at
Personal Server 14 may be the detection of physical movement in a
particular location. Such detection is possible by automatically
analyzing the data received from a live video camera. When this
occurs, a still image or video clip is saved to memory associated
with Personal Server 14. A notification message link is then send
to the Mobile Client Device 30 as described herein. When the user
thereof activates the link, the Wireless Browser 309 will be
instructed to retrieve the image from Personal Server 14 as
described above. Similarly, the trigger event may be the activation
of an alarm at Personal Server 14 associated, for example, with
temperature conditions at a particular location or some other
condition or event. The Mobile Client Device 30 permits a user
thereof to communicate with Personal Server 14 using the Mobile
Client Device 30 to remotely initiate a particular response to the
trigger event, for example, resetting the temperature control set
point. In addition, it is contemplated that various means for
restricting acces to the private communication portal of the
present invention other than to authorized users be utilized. It
should also be understood that the Private Server of the present
invention may comprise more than one copy of the computer product
of the present invention. Various means for creating network
connections are illustrated herein, however, other means for
creating such connections used in conjunction with the invention
described are also within the scope of the present invention. All
such modifications or variations are believed to be within the
sphere and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended
hereto.
* * * * *
References